Looking to check out the hottest new wellness trend that promises to totally relax and rejuvenate you physically, mentally, and spiritually? Then look no further than Floating. I tried it and here’s what I found out.

Floating has been around for quite some time, with the first use in 1954. The intent is to use sensory deprivation as a means to become completely weightless and free from distraction in order to heighten the ability to relax and completely let go. A custom room, tank, or pod is filled with skin temperature water and filled with Epsom salt to create buoyancy and mimic a lack of gravity. Think floating in the Dead Sea type of stuff here people! The water lifts you up and you have the ability to float and let everything else simply drift away.

Benefits of Floating

Physical

The physical weightlessness your body will feel as a result of the Epsom salt solution takes pressure off of the body. In a world filled with strenuous activity, giving it a rest can create a relief that you never knew you needed. Being free from gravity has been shown to reduce blood pressure, fatigue, joint, and muscle pain.

Mental

With nothing, comes greatness. With the ability to be hyper-focused your natural mental state can wander and soar. You may find your mind has the ability to work through an issue with much more ease. Allow your brain to analyze with complete freedom.

Spiritual

Theta brainwaves, the ones that are produced just when you’re about to fall asleep, are free to come and go in this heightened state of lift. Let your creative juices flow with ease while you have nothing else to distract you. The stimulation that Theta waves offer is similar to those that only an experienced mediator can create after years of practice. This is the ultimate zen.

My Experience

I wanted to try Floating mostly to reduce stress, but also to try something new and get the skin benefits. (Fun Fact: Your skin will not prune while floating due to the high concentration of salt. Your skin will absorb the nutrients and leave you silky smooth.) I went to a place in NYC that has a custom built room. Basically it was like a shower room with a Jacuzzi type tub that just happened to be filled with salt and had no lights.

I went in with an open mind and was ready to plop into the water after I had rinsed and cleansed as instructed to do so. In case you were wondering, you do float in the buff, which added to the completely freeing experience. I got in and was pleasantly surprised when the water actually held me. I’m not sure why, but one of my irrational fears was that there wasn’t enough salt to actually hold me up. I was afraid my bodacious booty would be dragging on the bottom the whole time or something.

Anyways, I wanted to get maximum sensory deprivation so turned out all the lights and music as well, although you do have the option to leave both or one on if you choose. You guys, the first 10 minutes was rough! I did not think I was going to make it the full 90 minutes. I sort of felt like I was having a panic attack and it was a totally foreign experience not being able to see, hear, and feel my body. At one point, I had to practice my yoga breathing to calm down.

Once I got past the first 10 minutes or so, I did my body become less tense and did relax. This was reassuring. After all, you don’t really have the option to be like, “Hey, am I doing this right? Is this supposed to be happening?” For the next hour my mind seemed to drift off and on, in and out. It was as if my body was reacting to the Theta waves and my mental state almost seemed to have a lucid dream type effect. Every so often, my muscles would twitch and my arm would splash salty water into my eyes, which wasn’t great, but did keep me tethered to reality. The feeling of just being disconnected from literally everything but myself for 90 minutes, was equal parts terrifying and comforting.

Overall it was a great experience and I’m definitely glad I tried it. I did seem to sleep a little deeper that evening and I definitely felt tension release in my neck and shoulders where I typically carry most of my stress. I’m not sure I’d go back anytime soon, but I also wouldn’t pass if it were something that I really needed to release stress regularly.

For me, I’d determine this wellness trend a MUST TRY and decide for yourself. Everyone’s experience is different from what I hear, and you could totally be into it. Comment below and tell me if you would try Floating…

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Hey there!

I'm Natasha, a small town girl that recently moved from NYC back to Iowa. Obsessed with makeup, my dog, food, and all things pretty. Trying to live my best life and have some fun doing it. Hoping to inspire you to do the same!